Another Weird Dream

 

         Neither Richard nor I have been sleeping well lately.  He caught a virus due to stress and probably room temperature.  I always wake up hot and he has a pile of blankets.  He coughs.  Bonnie snores.  One or the other of us will leave the room. 

He turns on the TV.  It is ALWAYS loud.  I can’t return to sleep when there is noise.  But somehow between two and four I slept hard.  Really hard.  I know it was hard because I had a nightmarish dream. 

“I had gotten out of bed for something (probably to go to the bathroom) and when I returned my end table and all contents had disappeared.  I remember looking for them in some kind of office building.  That was weird.

“Later on, while in bed I heard a noise and gone to the window to investigate a noise. I saw our car back up out of the driveway.  Surprisingly there had been enough light to identify that it was our car. They must have been the ones who took the end table.  I think that's where I had last seen my keys

“And right behind them was a red convertible with four teenagers – first with expressions of “Oh, no.  We’ve been caught” but then a smugness of “what are you going to do about it”

“We had called the police.  They were on their way but had not yet arrived” when the rain woke me up from my deep trance.  I don’t think I ever returned.  If I did I cannot remember what else happened.  I am surprised at remembering what I did.

Richard continues to come and go not sleeping unless it is in front of the television in a sit-up position.

It Was Nice While It Lasted

         Ever since they had moved into our house, Biff and Claire would sleep in until 10:00 or later.  Okay.  I get the exhaustion from traveling – but come on.  They did manage to make it up on time for the first Sunday meeting they were here.  That was the last time.

Three weeks later Ally was enrolled in the local school and then the family started getting up at 8:10 and out the door half an hour later.  Still dragged.  Still delayed.  But after Biff started his job in Roseburg, the family was up and out by 7:30.  Such a waist of gas going back and forth so that Claire could have the car.  Theoretically they could put Ally on the bus but choose not to.  So for an entire week Biff would drive the family to his work in Roseburg and Claire would take the car to the school, walk Char around and return to the house to sort and clean – pick Ally up from school (with Char) return to Roseburg.  They had a routine.  It was nice!

But after the Halloween party Ally got sick – they claim.  I don’t know.  I have been sick and now Richard is sick and it’s hard to know if Ally is really sick or not.  Richard and I are very certain that she has not felt as miserable as we.  Claire had her stay home from school on Monday but then allowed her to go trick-or-treating downtown.  Say what?  You are allowing your sick child to have candy?  Okay.  She’s been home for three days and Claire hopefully announced that maybe they could return Ally to school and then took her out for three hours last night though it was 34 degrees outside.  Seriously?  Needless to say Ally did not go to school today.  Meanwhile Richard sounds as though he is on his deathbed.  Thus far he has had tea to drink.

I’d like to see this entire household get better.  I would like to see our “guests” return to last week’s routine.  I would still prefer more distance – separate houses.  We already seem to be living separate lives.

That Time of the Year

               After we returned home from the ward party on Saturday I could feel my throat starting to get sore.  I made the mistake of taking a lozenge and allowing it to sit under my tongue all night.  My teeth hurt the following morning – and I just got to the point where I am no longer pained by cold drinks or food.  Now I have to start all over again.

        I missed church on Sunday – turns out that Richard was the only one to leave the house.  Ally had a slight cough and I had heard that her throat was sore.  She didn’t act sick.  Not like I was sick.  Still, I don’t know why both mom and dad had to stay home with her.  But whatever.  My head throbbed.  It felt like the beginning of a sinus infection.

        Carolyn had asked if I would like to go get coffee with her and Dan on Friday but I told her I might still be sick (not even thinking about health the rest of my household.  Since the start of the pandemic Carolyn has been cautious about germs) and she suggested I get tested for COVID. 

        Yesterday I called the doctor’s office – still not impressed with the facility.  They referred me to Urgent care in Roseburg.  The Urgent and Care part seemed like an oxymoron.  I called the office in Roseburg, put on hold, and heard the recording three times before they hung up on me.  Richard finally decided that we would just drive up there.  I got tested for COVID which came out negative.  I was given a prescription for a Zee Pack and started taking that yesterday.

        In addition to my sinus infection I am also having a cough which has never been part of the infection.  This morning Richard also coughed.  Our brother-in-law just passed and Richard had planned to go to Arizona to show his support to his sister.  I thought I would go with him depending on how I feel, but with our current coughs I highly doubt that the airlines would allow either one of us on the plane – provided they are still taking the same precautions that they have in the last two years. 

        I would like for us to show our support but it may have to be at a later time.  Hopefully my head does not hurt so much tomorrow and I may express my thoughts about this year’s Halloween.

Day 11 slowly recovering still

After two weeks of not working, I returned to work yesterday – though it was for only half a day.  I prayed that I would be able to get through the day.  My cough had died down.  Still, I had to change my pants before I had even left the house. 

       I left the house early to stop by a thrift store as there is a game I would like to get for Jenna – a specific game that I still have not seen and may have to order online.  While there, I looked at dresses and found a light jumper that I thought I could wear. 

       I had planned on putting keys in my pocket and hooking the walkie-talkie through one of the belt loops but while at the thrift store, I realized that the pants I had changed into did not have pockets.  Frustrating.  I returned home for a lanyard in which I could hang the keys and the walkie-talkie.  Only by the time I returned home, I decided it was warm enough that I could change into my brand new dress (which I hadn’t realized was on discount and spent only 2.25) and so had changed for a third time.

       Once again I prayed that I would make it for the next three hours without prior problems that I’ve experienced for over a week.  I’m happy to say that I was able to make it through the rest of the day without much inconvenience.  I was needed to help with lunch, but think I could have returned home right after recess as I really did not feel useful for the most part.  I do prefer mornings to afternoons.

       I was supposed to meet up with some friends at 4:00 but my mind got loopy and I know I wouldn’t have been pleasant company.  As I think about it, it was a good idea not to have put myself on the road in my condition.  I am bummed that I didn’t get to see my friends. But I did end up spending just a bit of quality time with Roland - whose mind has seemed elsewhere lately also.

       Tried a new sleep routine.  I have failed miserably. I just haven’t been able to get comfortable.  In addition to my soar rear and legs, I also have a major headache – well, major for me.  It may be minimal for those who experience headaches more routinely than I.  I suppose I’ll be napping later on today.  I really am sleepy.  I hope this crazy weather didn't push me back to where I started. Dang it all!

Sing Me To Sleep

                         

                Before it started to rain in March,

I had a dry cough. 

A very annoying

dry cough

as though I had swallowed

a hair ball and couldn’t get it

out of my system.

 Then the rains came and

gradually my cough left me. 

I was able to go on stage to

perform with the choir on Easter.  

I had forgotten that the primary had

been invited to join us. 

The song was “Gethsemane” (see here).

Our primary kids sound like angels

whenever that song is performed.

My eyes leak whenever

they’re performing. 

I was too choked up to

sing with them. 

After Easter my dry cough returned. 

Gradually it became a wet cough. 

On Tuesday I was sore from head to toe. 

Pain in my cheeks 

pain in my teeth  

terrible pain. 

I shouldn’t have gone to work

 at the school on Wednesday. 

A lot of children commented that

I sounded funny. 

I was feeling better than on Tuesday. 

The coughing and congestion are

not the worst part. 

I know there are some woman who

will relate when I mention that

the cough and bladder somehow

seem to be connected. 

Shooting out the other end

and having to change myself    

It reminds me of the many times that

I have changed baby diapers amazed

at how much the pad will hold.  But still . . .

The last couple of days

I have gone through one and a half

boxes of tissue.

I have missed the Mother’s Day brunch

which I was supposed to conduct and

take part in the program. 

I called the organizer this

morning and said

I wouldn’t be there. 

My right cheekbone feels bruised.  

I feel worse than I look. 

I hope Roland doesn’t get it this bad. 

Thus far Jenna’s been able to dodge

getting this nastiness. 

I pray that she will remain free of this. 

I think this is the worst cold

that I have ever had

in my entire life.